The pilot, co-pilot and nine passengers of an Indonesian plane are feared dead in a crash in Mount Gergaji area in Mimika, Papua province, on Friday.

The aircraft left Ilaga at around 10 a.m. local time and was expected to arrive in remote village Mulia in 30-minute trip, website of the Jakarta Post quoted Easter Haryanto, commander of Timika Air Base, as saying.

The airplane, however, lost its contact with the ground on its trip. Easter said the plane crash was confirmed around noon.

Easter said a joint operation between the police and the Air Force will start searching the ill-fated plane on Saturday because of bad weather in the mountainous area on Friday.

He said the plane was carrying ballots from last week's general elections to the remote village of Mulya when it crashed.

The plane belonging to the Mimika district administration, was piloted by Nay May Linn Aung of Myanmar and Makmur of Indonesia as co-pilot.

Papua is considered one of the world's most dangerous places to fly. Many areas are mountainous and prone to dangerously low clouds and sudden weather changes.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2009)